Corset thumbnail 1
Corset thumbnail 2
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Corset

ca. 1890 (made)
Artist/Maker
Jaeger
Place of origin
England (made)

Girl's corset made of unbleached cream wool. Made in two halves joined at the centre back with a woollen braid lace passing through nickel eyelets and at the front with mother-of-pearl buttons attached to very long cotton threads. It reaches from the shoulder where there are adjustable woollen shoulder straps to the hip. It is boned at the centre front and back, but the bands of stiffening on the body of the corset are achieved with inserted cords and tapes. It is only slightly shaped at the hip and waist but there are narrow pleated gussets for the breasts. There are two pearl buttons stitched at each side seam, presumably for the suspenders. Inside the left front is a black and white machine embroidered label 'JAEGER PURE WOOL ORNAMENT & TRIMMING ACCEPTED'.

Object details

Categories
Textiles
Underwear
Children's Clothes
Europeana Fashion Project
Object type
Corset
Materials and techniques
Wool, mother-of-pearl, metal, cotton thread, boned
Wool
Metal
Cotton
Baleen
Mother-of-Pearl
Baleen
Brief description
Girl's corset made of unbleached wool, made of Jaeger wool/possibly made by Jaeger, England, ca. 1890
Physical description
Girl's corset made of unbleached cream wool. Made in two halves joined at the centre back with a woollen braid lace passing through nickel eyelets and at the front with mother-of-pearl buttons attached to very long cotton threads. It reaches from the shoulder where there are adjustable woollen shoulder straps to the hip. It is boned at the centre front and back, but the bands of stiffening on the body of the corset are achieved with inserted cords and tapes. It is only slightly shaped at the hip and waist but there are narrow pleated gussets for the breasts. There are two pearl buttons stitched at each side seam, presumably for the suspenders. Inside the left front is a black and white machine embroidered label 'JAEGER PURE WOOL ORNAMENT & TRIMMING ACCEPTED'.
Dimensions
  • Waist measured inside garment circumference: 62.5cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Bust measured inside garment circumference: 80.5cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Underbust measured inside garment circumference: 62.5cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Across back width: 24cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Nape waist length: 32cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
  • Nape hem length: 56cm (Note: Measured by Conservation)
Marks and inscriptions
  • '2980 / 23' (Stamped on the left side of the inside centre back)
  • 'Flora 23 25/6' (On a brown paper label stitched to the bottom of the right centre front)
  • 'JAEGER PURE WOOL ORNAMENT & TRIMMING ACCEPTED' (On a black and white machine-embroidered label inside the left front)
Gallery label
(2013-2015)
Dr Gustav Jaeger (1832-1917) advocated wearing exclusively woollen clothes to absorb perspiration, allow 'noxious exhalations' to disperse and maintain warmth.

This is a typical health corset because it has shoulder straps. Reformists suggested that hanging the weight of dress from the shoulders was better for the spine and internal organs than anchoring it around the waist and hips.

Corset bodice
Jaeger Sanitary Woollen System
Britain, about 1900
Undyed wool and ribbed wool cording
Bequeathed by Miss E.J. Bowden
V&A: T.229-1968
(16/04/2016-12/03/2017)
Jaeger 'Pure' Wool

This minimally boned corset bodice with adjustable shoulder straps was designed for a teenage girl. It is made of unbleached Jaeger 'pure' wool.

Wool is breathable and helps to regulate body temperature. For this reason, Dr Gustav Jaeger (1832-1917) advocated wearing clothes made exclusively of wool. Many dress reformers who campaigned for healthy clothing wore Jaeger garments.

Corset
Britain, about 1895
Wool, cord, whalebone (baleen) and mother of pearl
V&A: T.229-1968
Bequeathed by Miss E. J. Bowden
Credit line
Bequeathed by Miss E. J. Bowden
Object history
Registered File states Corset, wool, English (Jaeger), c.1890.
Collection
Textiles and Fashion Collection
Accession number
T.229-1968

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O355218/corset-jaeger/
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